2 JANUARY 1886, Page 32

The Broken Shaft. Fisher Unwin's Annual for 1886. (T. Fisher

Unwin.)—With the exception of "Riley, M.P.," which is, we suppose, meant for fun, and which appears to us unmitigated rubbish, this Annual is a collection of very clever stories, including one that is really brilliant—Mr..R. L. Stevenson's "Markham," which might take rank with some of the best of Hawthorne's. "The Upper Berth," by Mr. Marion Crawford, is one of the most effective ghost-stories ever imagined ; while Mr. Anstey's " Marjory " has great simplicity, beauty, and force in it,—a kind of merit in which hitherto Mr. Anstey has not excelled. Mr. Pollock's "Last Act" has some tragic force ; Mr. Archer's Nihilist story is very effective ; and Mr. Norman's "Love and Lightning" has great originality of plot. Altogether, the little collection of tales is a remarkable one.